The administration’s fledgling train and equip program in Syria took on a new dimension this week when the White House said it would provide defensive air support to US-backed rebels attacked by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The guidelines, which layout parameters for both offensive and defensive support operations, drastically increase the odds of a US military confrontation with the Syrian government, and were revealed after the first batch of Pentagon-backed Syrian recruits were deployed to fight the Islamic State (ISIL).
A senior military official described the new policy to the Wall Street Journal, saying that it allows US air support when trained rebels are up against ISIL forces. The official added, however, that “we’ll defend them against anyone who’s attacking them.”
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has previously said that the US has some responsibility to protect its trained fighters, but specifics had not been outlined.
“We’re not looking to engage the regime, but we’ve made a commitment to help defend these people,” he added.
The Obama administration has, since 2011, called for Assad to step down, but the US has resisted calls to oust him by intervening in what has become a brutal civil war.
The nascent US-backed squad fighting ISIL already suffered notable losses last week when it was ambushed by the al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. Five soldiers were killed and seven others were kidnapped.
The Pentagon has only been able to recruit roughly 60 fighters in its effort to construct an anti-ISIL Syrian fighting force—a number that top military officials admit is far too low.
Exactly what legal authority President Obama has to use force against the Syrian government remains a significant question. Congress hasn’t even been able to pass an ISIL-specific Authorization for the Use of Military Force. The White House has said the ongoing combat is legal under the 2001 AUMF passed in the wake of 9/11. When asked in June how the administration could legally justify military strikes against the Assad regime, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest didn’t have an answer.
